Host Sandra Flach is a mom of 8 children, 5 through adoption—one kinship and 4 international. Her youngest 2 are teens diagnosed with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). With over 30 years of parenting experience and 20 plus years as an adoptive and kinship parent, she’s made mountains of mistakes and learned loads of lessons. She understands the difficult road of parenting children with trauma histories—and she is still in the trenches! The Adoption & Foster Care Journey is a podcast to encourage, educate, and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care, and kinship care. We aim to support adoptive and foster families by sharing encouraging real-life stories and equipping them with modern-day research and parenting techniques.
Episodes
Monday Mar 28, 2022
Monday Mar 28, 2022
“Then Job replied to the Lord, “I know that you can do all things. No purpose of yours can be thwarted.” Job 42:2
Sometimes our best laid plans fall apart but God’s purposes prevail. Such is the case for adoptive mom, Darlene Larson. During a time when her family should have been growing and thriving, she lost two close family members and her marriage of 25 years unraveled.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach speaks with Darlene Larson about the pain of suffering from emotional and mental abuse and how going deep with God led her to her purpose. Today, Darlene is life coach and founder of Hearts with a Purpose. She passionately coaches women that are harried, hurting and hungry, guiding them to the freedom that discovering their purpose brings.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
FB @DarleneLarson
Insta @heartswithapurpose
Monday Mar 21, 2022
Monday Mar 21, 2022
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27
Over the past few weeks, approximately three million people have fled Ukraine—primarily women and children. Entire orphanages are among the Ukrainian refugees now in Poland and Romania. Many of these children were in process of being either hosted or adopted by American families.
On this episode host Sandra Flach speaks with Ukrainian adoptive mom Jill Krenzer. Jill is a team member with the nonprofit hosting organization, Host Orphans Worldwide. Listen in as Jill shares the heartbreak her family and many others are experiencing as they watch the horrors unfold in Ukraine and await the fate of children they were in process to host and/or adopt this summer.
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Monday Mar 14, 2022
Monday Mar 14, 2022
“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuine of your faith—a grater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:6-7
If you are an adoptive, foster or kinship caregiver, you may feel as if there are more trials than triumphs.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach candidly shares some of the trials she has faced parenting her teenage adopted son who has FASD. Sandra also highlights three recent triumphs she and her son are celebrating.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
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Monday Mar 07, 2022
Monday Mar 07, 2022
“He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge…” Psalm 144:2
As war rages in Ukraine, the most vulnerable suffer—especially orphans.
This week, Host Sandra Flach, an adoptive mom of four children born in Ukraine, speaks with Kim De Blecourt, also mom of a son adopted from Ukraine. Kim is the founder of Nourished Hearts, a nonprofit serving orphans and vulnerable families in Ukraine.
Listen in as these moms, passionate for Ukrainian orphans, discuss needs on the ground, how listeners can help, and end with prayer for Ukraine.
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Monday Feb 28, 2022
Monday Feb 28, 2022
“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn darkness into light before them; and make rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.”
Answering God’s call to foster or adopt children is huge—but sometimes He doesn’t stop there. Often, God will invite us to serve other families in this community. That’s exactly what He did through adoptive mom Kelly Raudenbush.
After adopting her daughter from China, Kelly went on to establish the Sparrow Fund, a nonprofit passionate about supporting adoptive families. Listen in as host Sandra Flach talks with Kelly about her family’s adoption story and about the services offered through the Sparrow Fund.
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Monday Feb 21, 2022
Monday Feb 21, 2022
“…Mercy triumphs over judgement.” James 2:13
The FASCETS neuro behavioral model is based on recognizing an individual’s brain differences and preventing problems instead of punishing them. By focusing on the person’s strengths and providing accommodations—people prenatally exposed to alcohol can celebrate success.
This week on our Orphans No More podcast, host Sandra Flach, talks with adoptive mom and FASCETS Program Director, Suzanne Emery. If you are an adoptive, foster or kinship caregiver or work within the child welfare system—you won’t want to miss this informative and encouraging episode.
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Monday Feb 14, 2022
Monday Feb 14, 2022
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Trent Taylor spent his early childhood experiencing horrific forms of abuse and neglect. As a result, he entered the foster care system at age four and endured a tumultuous four-year journey before finding his way to his forever family.
This week on our Orphans No More podcast, host Sandra Flach, talks with Trent Taylor and his adoptive mom, Pam. Listen in as this amazing trauma informed mother-son duo transparently share Trent’s trauma to triumph testimony.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
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Monday Feb 07, 2022
Monday Feb 07, 2022
“Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb…” Judges 13:4-5
This week on episode 311 of our Orphans No More podcast, host Sandra Flach talks about her experiences as a mom of children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
She says, “Our prenatally exposed kids - no matter their age - can learn. They might learn differently. But they can learn. While we tend to try everything in an attempt to find something that works (myself included) - diet, exercise, supplements, therapies, medication, etc….there is no magic cure for an FASD. And our kids are not going to turn 18 or 21 and suddenly outgrow it.”
Listen in as Sandra shares about focusing on strengths rather than trying to “fix” a child’s disability. Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
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Monday Jan 31, 2022
Monday Jan 31, 2022
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5
This week on episode 310 of our Orphans No More podcast, host Sandra Flach speaks with Claudia Fletcher. Claudia is a seasoned foster and adoptive parent of twelve adult children—5 still live at home. She’s a pastor’s wife, Chief Program Officer with Patrick Henry Family Services, and an Area Director for CarePortal.
Listen in as Claudia shares her adoption and foster care survival tips as well as her heart for children and families in crisis. Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
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Monday Jan 24, 2022
Monday Jan 24, 2022
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm them…” Ephesians 6:10
This week on episode 309 of our Orphans No More podcast, host and FASD adoptive mom, Sandra Flach, shares FAFASD Fact 38—Many behavioral symptoms of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder are due to a combination of differing brain functions.
Adoptive, foster and kinship caregivers are often familiar with meltdowns and explosive rages. These behaviors could be caused by sensory overload, difficulty communicating, or frustration due to being misunderstood and punished for behaviors related to a child’s disability.
Listen in as Sandra draws from her lived experience and shares how parenting through the lens of FASD—always considering the brain first and making necessary accommodations for success can decrease the frequency, intensity and duration of meltdowns and rages. Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
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